Icarius
'''Icarius (natively known as Ikarios) '''is a province made up of multiple independent city states. It is on the Midarian Sea, west of Asarabah, and east of Temaria. Icarius is governed by a collection of City-State leaders and a rotating Consul, overseeing the meat of its civilization; the numerous city states found throughout. Icarius is incredibly old, and the original records of it’s settling are lost to time. Thus, the country is found dotted with ruins from various ancient cultures. The majority of it's recent history (1000 years back) indicates settlement by both Aurosian (or Auron) colonists, accompanied by Redmoor settlers in large scale. This fusion of cultures was heavily influenced by Redmoor philosophy and martial tradition, combined with the cultural norms of the Aurosians, eventually creating the unique society found in the province today. It’s of a temperate climate, mostly dry and made up of rocky plains and hills. It’s people are proud warriors and talented scholars, and have a history for being somewhat reserved to the rest of the world, preferring to stay inwardly focused on their own prospering and development. Religiously, it's varied and tolerant, though the underlying Redmoor belief of Possibility and Potentiality is often the strongest ideal held by learned men. The men who come out of the nation to serve as mercenaries are known for being disciplined and organized, and strong fighters on their own. Shepherd is a common profession here, and besides that Icarius is known for wool workers, smiths, and masons. Following the sudden assassination of the previous Consul, Icarius is in a state of Interregnum. The city-states are taking sides in a mounting conflict rife with paranoia and idealogical conflict. One side believes in the democracy of the province as it's been, while others believe Icarius should return to a system of Monarchy, or separate into individual states. City States Icarius is made up of a number of city states, varying in power, influence, wealth, and produce. Notable city states include Parthe, Atlos, Strokos, Thenas, Hyprus, Isthmus, Paveus, and Vaylia. The capital of Icarius is Vaylia, the ancient bastion standing on the center island of the province's bay. In Vaylia and all the other states, there is no supreme city ruler; it's ruled from a rotating position, a democratically elected Magister. The Consul's Forum is located in Vaylia, the meeting place for the City Magisters and the currently-serving Consul to make decisions and discuss issues. City Magisters are paid no more than the basic worker in their city, to ensure equality and prevent people pursuing leadership for the wrong reasons. Magisters can serve a maximum of 12 years, but are free to serve in other government positions once they step down. In times of Interprovincial war, each City-State is required to contribute to the war effort and send troops and supplies according to what they can afford. The military of each city-state varies, as each maintains their armed force independently. When it comes to voting, all citizens are able to vote as long as they are actual citizens of the province or a city-state, and have a wage of some sort. Culture Geography Icarius topography changes several times in the passage from west to east. In the west, the terrain is more like that of Temaria; rocky and forested, with the Tympas Mountains rising from the moss. As one draws nearer to the east, the land becomes more dry, with difficult outcroppings of rock, covered in heather, bordering roads and trailing off into greener fields, dotted with rough trees and bushes. Further east, this terrain continues, but melds with harsh hills and cliffs rising out of the milder formations. History Icarius has some of the oldest records of anywhere in the world, with crude carvings indicating ancient peoples thousands of years before modern calenders were invented. It's a mystery then why nearly all of these cultures have largely disappeared then, leaving behind ruins and pillars. More recently, though still centuries in the past, the first settlers from Auros arrived on Icarius' rocky shores. There they made their own new home from what they could gather and mine, trying to settle in and mantain some of their own culture. Not long after this colonization, the first ships of the Redmoor from the fallen land of Faladar hit Icarius beaches, bringing with them peaceful Redmoor who sought to make new lives alongside the previous colonials. Over time, these two cultures would begin to intertwine in their journey to make Icarius their land, until one was indistinguishable from another, and something new had been created. Military See Also * Polymus Category:Nation